A minor conflict that developed into a war between a master and his disciple was effectively portrayed in the mythological play Sri Ramanjaneya Yuddham performed at Mahati auditorium last Sunday.
The play was performed by Sri Sadasiva Natyakala Mandali of Kummarakandriga, a budding troupe based at Yerpedu near Tirupati, as the 67th in the series of monthly mythological plays conducted by the TTD and Sri Venkateswara Natyakala Parishat.
The play starts with Maharaja Yayati offering prayers to sage Vasishta first and then to sage Viswamitra. Viswamitra feels it an insult and curses him. In spite of his fervent pleas, the unrelenting sage asks Rama to execute his order and slay Yayati.
Meanwhile, the ‘tricky sage' Narada asks Yayati to take refuge with Rama's disciple Anjaneya. Yayati first falls at Anjaneya's feet, expresses total surrender, takes the latter's assurance to help him out and then reveals the issue. Though taken aback and amid a lot of vacillation on whether to fight his own master, Anjaneya decides to keep his word.
Anjaneya sends Angadha as an emissary to Rama, but the latter refuses to compromise. The scene shifts to the battlefield where Anjaneya, known for his profuse loyalty towards Rama, aims his arrow at his master. With the two titans at loggerheads, a screechy voice “Akasavani” from the heaven appeals to them to calm down, with which they decide to end the war.
The drama portrays steadfast adherence to truth and obedience to the master, irrespective of the enemy ahead of us and the nature of consequences in store. Though Rama has nothing personal against Yayati, he obeys his master Viswamitra's order. Similarly, Anjaneya also takes the step of fighting his leader to keep up his promise to Yayati. N.V.Ramakrishna as Rama, S.Srinivasa Rao as Yayati, R.Rammurthy as Anjaneya executed a neat performance.
